The Dub drum groove
The pattern, step by step
One cell per sixteenth note, sixteen cells to the bar — exactly what the hub's drum machine plays. Downbeats are shown in bold.
Dub Sparse
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · |
| Open hi-hat | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
- Kick · 1 hit · steps 1 · beats 1
- Snare · 1 hit · steps 9 · beats 3
- Hi-hat · 4 hits · steps 3, 7, 11, 15 · offbeat eighths
- Open hi-hat · 1 hit · steps 5 · beats 2
Where to start
Take a one drop and remove every other track. Then put a long echo on the snare and cut it right after the hit. Dub starts exactly there.
What the hands and feet actually do
Dub invented the remix: King Tubby worked live on the desk, cutting and reopening tracks while the tape ran. The mixing gesture IS the performance.
The trap
Drowning the track in effects. Echo only works if there is silence around it: the more elements you remove, the bigger the few that remain become.
Listen to this
To hear the Dub groove in its element:
King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown · Blackboard Jungle Dub (Lee Perry)
Neighbouring grooves
Play it right now
The Drum Hub's drum machine loads this pattern, plays it at any tempo and lets you edit it cell by cell.
Open the Drum Hub →Frequently asked questions
How do you play a Dub groove on drums?
Take a one drop and remove every other track. Then put a long echo on the snare and cut it right after the hit. Dub starts exactly there.
What tempo is Dub played at?
The usual range runs from 65 to 90 BPM. The hub's 1 pattern(s) are set to 78 BPM, and the tempo stays free inside the drum machine.
Is Dub straight or shuffled?
Straight: the eighth notes are even, with no delay on the offbeats. That is what the hub's pattern plays.
Which drummer should you listen to for Dub?
King Tubby, Lee “Scratch” Perry. Worth hearing: King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown · Blackboard Jungle Dub (Lee Perry)